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K-T boundary Primate origin
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Primate Origins Challenge is to minimize speculation on things that do not fossilize. We live in the Cenozoic Era (past 65 m.y.) Earliest primate fossils date from c. 63 mya; Eocene Epoch Originated from primate-like mammals
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An Eocene mammal primate Post-orbitalbar
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Anthropoid Origins Aegyptopithecus Basal to the ape- Old World monkey separation ca. 33 mya
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A transitional? group Genus Proconsul Many species Mixture of monkey-like and ape-like characteristics 23 mya Africa * * the only extant tailless monkey is the ‘Barbary Ape.’
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East Africa, Rift Valley system major hominid sites Adjusting branch-points an ongoing process e.g., fossil dated at 6-7 mya
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Rocky Mountain News - July 11, 2002
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Sahelanthropus tchadensis
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Early Hominids Ardipithecus ramidus (5.8 mya) Australopithecus anamensis (4.2 mya) –basal to other australopithecines) –definitive evidence of bipedalism. Derivative australopithecines divided into “gracile” and “robust” species groups
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Genetic evidence for split
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Australopithecus afarensis “Lucy” (Hadar, Ethiopia)
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3.8 mya Australopithecus afarensis? Why?
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Australopithecus afarensis (Hadar, Ethiopia). Most complete skull found to date Prognathism
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Australopithecus afarensis
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= Diastema Parallel Parallel or slightly convergent Divergent C-shape Dental arcade
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Australopithecus afarensis to A. africanus
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“Taung child” Australopithecus africanus 1925 South Africa Age at death?
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